PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The most powerful hurricane on record to hit Florida's Panhandle left destruction and death in its path Thursday as it weakened to tropical storm status but still brought havoc to Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

Hurricane Michael made landfall Wednesday about 20 miles southeast of here with historic, 155-mph sustained winds, violent waves and sideways rain. Seven people were reported killed from the storm: five in Florida, one in Georgia and one in North Carolina.

Thursday, the extent of damage to this picturesque seaside town was revealed.

The sugar-sand beaches were littered with debris when the storm's rage – and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico – finally receded. Two hospitals were evacuated. Swaths of homes were destroyed, power lines snapped like toothpicks, cars and trucks flipped and smashed.

It will probably be weeks before roads are cleared and electricity is fully restored.

"It got tore up. It looks like a bomb went off," Chris Allen, 48, said as he surveyed the damage to the historic downtown.

“This was the scariest experience I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Panama City resident Peter Muller said, referring to riding out the storm. “The scope of the damage is absolutely mind boggling. It’s like a war zone or something out of a horror movie.”

Thousands of homes and businesses were blown apart as the storm slammed across the Florida Panhandle and roared with hurricane force into Georgia.

Beaches disappeared, military bases were damaged, boats were slammed into houses and trees were mowed down like lawns. Power outages affected more than 1 million customers in five states: North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama, according to PowerOutage.US, a website that tracks power outages nationwide.

Chet Bundy stands in the kitchen of the trailer home he was in when Hurricane Michael passed through on Oct. 20, 2018 in Panama City, Fla. He survived the storm crouching in the bathroom with his partner and pets as the trailer was ripped apart. Scott Olson, Getty Images

Tracey Lachance sits outside of her home which was severely damaged by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 20, 2018 in Panama City, Fla. Much of Panama City remains without electricity or running water since Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on October 10. Scott Olson, Getty Images

Mark Mauldin hangs a sign near the front of his property expressing his dissatisfaction with his Verizon cell phone service following Hurricane Michael on Oct. 19, 2018 in Panama City, Fla. Scott Olson, Getty Images

John McClenny helps LeClaire Bryan, mother of country music artist Luke Bryan, recover items from her home after it was severely damaged by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 19, 2018 in Mexico Beach, Fla. Scott Olson, Getty Images

In this Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 photo, utility crews set up new poles and utility wires in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla. It's the greatest need after a hurricane and sometimes the hardest one to fulfill: Electricity. More than a week after Hurricane Michael smashed into the Florida Panhandle on a path of destruction that led all the way to the Georgia border, more than 100,000 Florida customers were still without power, according to the state Department of Emergency Management website. Gerald Herbert, AP

In this Oct. 16, 2018 photo, Gabrielle Morgan, center rear, braids the hair of her husband Santional as they sit by a lantern with their children from left, Decoya, 13, Isabella, 3 mos., Gabriella, 3, and Lakevia, 15, in their room at the damaged American Quality Lodge where they continue to live without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla. The tropical weather that turned into monster Hurricane Michael began as a relatively humble storm before rapidly blossoming into the most powerful cyclone ever to hit the Florida Panhandle, causing wrenching scenes of widespread destruction. David Goldman, AP

Samantha Smith helps her mother Caroline and other staff remove important items from the damaged Holy Nativity Episcopal School building after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla. Oct. 17, 2018. Samantha, who says that she really misses school for the first time in her life, has been keeping busy by helping her mother at this school and by removing debris from her yard. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY NETWORK

The aftermath of hurricane Michael is seen on Oct. 17, 2018 in Mexico Beach, Fla. The hurricane hit on October 10th along the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm causing massive damage and claimed the lives of more then a dozen people. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Sitting in the breeze of a fan, Courtney Galbreath takes advantage of wifi access while Jack Ball, left, and Jay Currier wait to file claims with USAA at the insurance village that as been set up on West 23rd Street to service clients affected by Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Gregg Pachkowski, Pensacola News Journal - USA TODAY NETWORK

Cathy Meunier, left, and Betsy Straley have a laugh with Bob Orlick, of Port Charlotte, Fla. as he helps fill their gas containers at the Sam's Club on West 23rd Street in Panama City, Fla on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Drivers are thrilled that their wait for gas has gone from up to 4 hours earlier in the week down to 30 to 45 minutes today. Gregg Pachkowski, Pensacola News Journal - USA TODAY NETWORK

Nancy Register cries in her vehicle after losing her home to Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. She said she doesn't know how they are going to make it through this and that they only have money to last them four more days. Gerald Herbert, AP

Bumper to bumper traffic crawls across the Hathaway Bridge on Highway 98 into Panama City, Fla. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Traffic in and out of the city has been getting worse each day since Hurricane Michael blew through the area as more people return and more services arrive. Gregg Pachkowski, Pensacola News Journal - USA TODAY NETWORK

Lanie Eden and her husband Ron stand in the destroyed vacation home they rented every year as they look for their possessions in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. They evacuated just before the storm. Gerald Herbert, AP

Ron Eden shows a photo of his annual vacation rental, which his family was in before they fled Hurricane Michael just before it hit, in front of the remnants of the home, in Mexico Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Gerald Herbert, AP

Jeannie Holcombe looks at a damaged room at the American Quality Lodge where she continues to live in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, in Panama City, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. Simply getting through the day is a struggle at the low-rent motel where dozens of people are living in squalor amid destruction left by the hurricane. David Goldman, AP

Justin Norman and Lisa Salle wash themselves in Lake Martin because their home has no running water after much of the municipality's infrastructure was damaged by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 16, 2018 in Panama City, Fla. Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on October 10 as a Category 4 storm, causing widespread damage and claiming as many as 26 lives. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

A resident walks past a shattered window of a room at a damaged motel, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Panama City, Fla., where guests continue to stay in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. David Goldman, AP

Heritage Academy students Anthony Heredia, 16, and Faith Wyatt, 15, of Monterey, Tenn., load water into the trunk of a car at a POD (point of distribution) after Hurricane Michael in Lynn Haven, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. 70 students and adults from Heritage Academy drove to the Panama City area to volunteer with the relief efforts in lieu of their traditional annual mission trip. Gregg Pachkowski, Pensacola News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

A man walks through a beachfront neighborhood that was decimated by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 16, 2018 in Mexico Beach, Fla. The neighborhood, which had homes most of the way to the beach before the storm, is now mostly flattened. Scott Olson, Getty Images

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Fla. Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

Ashley Le, center, and her mother Diane Le wait in a three-hour-long line for gas in the Calloway Walmart parking lot in Panama City, Fla., Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. The Le family lost part of their roof on the second floor during Hurricane Michael, but remain in the lower floor of their house in Calloway. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY Network

Bobbie Amaya, who lost her mobile home during Hurricane Michael, camps in her minivan outside of her friend's vape shop along 15th Street in Panama City, Fla., Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. Amaya and her son survived the storm inside the vape shop, but the unit next door totally collapsed and damaged her vehicle that was parked in front of the door. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY Network

Darlene Johnson and her brother, Ken Brown, look through their destroyed house for the first time since Hurricane Michael in the Calloway area of Panama City, Fla. Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY Network

Art Johnson, of Tampa, pulled a shadowbox of his grandfather from the debris inside his mother Darlene Johnson's destroyed house after Hurricane Michael in the Calloway area of Panama City, Fla., Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. His grandfather, who retired from the Air Force, was stationed for a time at nearby Tyndall Air Force Base. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY Network

Chris Lindner, of Lynn Haven, is next for for gas, after waiting three hours, at the Calloway Walmart parking lot after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. Non-profit Fuel Relief Refund is giving away five gallons of gas per person until their fuel truck is empty. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY Network

Billy Pardue and Kiersten Phillips wait for their names to be called while lining up for daywork cleaning debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 15, 2018. Pardue hasn't been able to work since Hurricane Michael damaged the Jimmy John's sandwich shop where he was employed. David Goldman, AP

View of the damaged caused by Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla. on Oct. 13, 2018, three days after Hurricane Michael hit the area. Four days after Hurricane Michael's devastating strike, search teams in Florida pressed their hunt for victims into hard-to-reach areas Saturday, as the death toll rose to 17 and officials scrambled to deliver aid to those who lost everything.The mammoth storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Wednesday, claimed lives in four states, but Florida suffered the worst damage by far. Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

Kristen Garcia shows the damaged caused in her house by Hurricane Michael, in Mexico Beach, Fla. on Oct. 14, 2018. Kristen and her grandmother, Jadwiga Zykizka Garcia, 93, survived the hurricane by taking cover in the bathroom of their house in the third floor.
Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

Nelson Cooper sits outside what is left of his home that was destroyed by Hurricane Michael as it passed through the area on Oct. 14, 2018 in Panama City, Fla. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm causing massive damage and claimed the lives of more then a dozen people. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Pastor Geoffrey Lentz looks out at St Joe Bay from his sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church after it was gutted by the storm surge from Hurricane Michael on Oct. 14, 2018 in Port Saint Joe, Fla. The surge took out the bottom half all the stain glass windows. Mark Wallheiser, Getty Images

Rick Anderson, of Mexico Beach, Fla., sits in his wheelchair at an evacuation shelter at Rutherford High School, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Springfield, Fla. on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. Gerald Herbert, AP

Candace Phillips sifts through what was her third-floor bedroom while returning to her damaged home in Mexico Beach, Fla. on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. "We spent 25 years of our marriage working to get here and we're going to stay," said Phillips of her and husband's plans to rebuild. David Goldman, AP

People began dropping unsolicited donations to St. Andrew Baptist Church in Panama City, Fla. Dozens of church volunteers quickly sprang froward to help take the donations in, organize and distribute them to Hurricane Michael survivors on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. Brandon Girod, USA Today Network

A church volunteer and a member of the congregation at St. Andrew Baptist Church embrace after seeing each other for the first time after Hurricane Michael made landfall in Panama City, Fla on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. Brandon Girod, USA Today Network

In this Oct. 12, 2018, file photo, damaged homes are seen along the water's edge in the aftermath of hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla. It was once argued that the trees would help save Florida's Panhandle from the fury of a hurricane, as the acres of forests in the region would provide a natural barrier to savage winds that accompany the deadly storms. It's part of the reason that tighter building codes, mandatory in places such as South Florida, were not put in place for most of this region until just 11 years ago. And it may be a painful lesson for area residents now that Hurricane Michael has ravaged the region. David Goldman, AP

In this Oct. 12, 2018, file photo, downed trees are seen from the air on Tyndall Air Force Base in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael near Mexico Beach, Fla. It was once argued that the trees would help save Florida's Panhandle from the fury of a hurricane, as the acres of forests in the region would provide a natural barrier to savage winds that accompany the deadly storms. Gerald Herbert, AP

Allen Wykle surveys the damage done to his cousin's home after a tree fell on the roof and came through the ceiling from Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. Wykle's cousin, Micaela Johnson and her husband, Josh, were out of town during the storm. Patrick Dove, USA TODAY Network

Minister Daniel Cherry addresses his congregation during a special service in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael at The Church of Christ at Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY Network

Members of The Church of Christ at Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Fla., held an outdoor service Sunday morning, Oct. 14, 2018, as their main congregation building had suffered significant roof damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY Network

Sheri McKeand wipes away her tears alongside her husband, Dale McKeand, during an emotional service Sunday morning in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael at the Church of Christ at Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY Network

Members of The Church of Christ at Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Fla., held an outdoor service Sunday morning, Oct. 14, 2018, as their main congregation building had suffered significant roof damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY Network

Members of The Church of Christ at Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Fla., gather in one of their buildings to prepare supplies to help distribute them throughout their community to people in need, Oct. 14, 2018. Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY Network

Dave Russell stands under a large hole in the ceiling of his Port St. Joe, Fla. home caused by Hurricane Michael. Russell decided to ride out the storm in his home and took shelter in the bathroom wearing a motorcycle helmet. Patrick Dove, USA TODAY Network

Braden Olive sits on the remains of his family's vacation home porch as he and his parents, Mike and Vicki Olive, survey the damage of Hurricane Michael in Port St. Joe, Fla. "Every time I walked through the door I'd say, 'I love this house,'" said Vicki Olive. "The promise to rebuild is the only thing that's getting me through this." Patrick Dove, USA TODAY Network

Rescue Tech Jason Graphia from the The Louisiana Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, climbs over debris to search a house that was destroyed by a tree near Panama City in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, Oct. 13, 2018. Scott Clause, USA TODAY Network

John Harcourt climbs a ladder to finish putting a tarp of the roof of his father-in-law's Port St. Joe, Fla. home after Hurricane Michael tore through the area on Wednesday. Patrick Dove, USA TODAY Network

A handout photo made available by the Florida National Guard on Oct. 13, 2018 shows portions of the Florida panhandle devastated following the strike of Hurricane Michael, in Callaway, Fl. on Oct. 11, 2018. This photo was taken as part of the air surveillance that was done to assess the damage caused by the hurricane. Category 4 storm Hurricane Michael devastated northwestern Florida with winds of up to 155 miles per hour and flooding. Florida Governor Rick Scott activated over 2,000 troops of the Florida National Guard to respond to the disaster. 1St Lt. Sonia Dixon, Florida National Guard via EPA-EFE

Cynthia Biegler, 81, stands in the church that she has attended since 1962, after two of the exterior walls were blown down when Hurricane Michael passed through the area, Oct. 13, 2018 in Panama City, Fl. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm causing massive damage and claimed the lives of 17 people. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

State Road 98 is torn up after Hurricane Michael passed through the area on Oct. 12, 2018 in Mexico Beach, Fl. The hurricane hit the panhandle area with category 4 winds causing major damage. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

A side-by-side search-and-rescue team utility vehicle navigates through the streets of Mexico Beach following the passage of Hurricane Michael. In the lower left corner, you can see the double yellow line that marks where the middle of the street actually is, when it's not covered by a house. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY NETWORK

Brian Muth, 33, tosses a cinderblock out of the building that once housed the 5th-generation family-owned Muth & Sons Plumbing in Panama City, Florida, following the passage of Hurricane Michael. TREVOR HUGHES/USA TODAY NETWORK

Members of South Florida Task Force urban search and rescue team undergo briefing before beginning a search for victims in Mexico Beach following the passage of Hurricane Michael. TREVOR HUGHES/USA TODAY NETWORK

Clayton Wentworth puts up boards to cover a few of the broken windows of his home after Hurricane Michael blew through the area on Wednesday. Wentworth and his wife, Lucretia, are going to leave the area and wait for the power and water to be turned back on. "I guess this will be a good time to travel and see some friends around the country," Lucretia Wentworth said. PATRICK DOVE/USA TODAY NETWORK

Kenny Faris helps his sister in law clear out her home in Mexico Beach, Fla., on Oct. 12, 2018, after Hurricane Michael lifted the building off its foundation and floated it about 100 yards into a parking lot. The home's deck remains where it belongs. TREVOR HUGHES/USA TODAY NETWORK

Robin Retzloff who rode out Hurricane Michael in her now destroyed home, sits in front of a heavily damaged convenience store with her dog Markie, the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., on Oct. 11, 2018. Her husband is in a hospital and she has not been able to reach him, so she has nowhere to go. GERALD HERBERT/AP

Dawn Vickers, left, her mother Patsy Vickers, son Ryder Vickers, and friend Robert Brock, right, who rode out Hurricane Michael in their now-destroyed home, sit in front of a damaged convenience store with nowhere to go, in Michael's aftermath, in Mexico Beach, Fla., on Oct. 11, 2018. Their house floated away from its foundation in the storm and they escaped the water by wading through a window. GERALD HERBERT/AP

Wayne Mann works to clear debris left from Hurricane Michael from the roof of his home in Panama City. "We were sitting in the house just listening to the storm and all of a sudden there was a loud crash and water started coming through eh ceiling in the bedroom," said Mann's wife, Jeanette. PATRICK DOVE/USA TODAY NETWORK

Alan Cervantes looks over his truck that was smashed by a large tree on his property as a result of the high winds from Hurricane Michael. Cervantes, 22, had moved from Dallas just a year ago. "I'm mostly worried about continuing to work," Cervantes said. "I might just move back to Texas." PATRICK DOVE/USA TODAY NETWORK

An entire neighborhood between 40th Street and 42nd Street in Mexico Beach, Fla. was wiped out by Hurricane Michael, Thursday. The devastation inflicted by Hurricane Michael came into focus Thursday with rows upon rows of homes found smashed to pieces, and rescue crews began making their way into the stricken areas in hopes of accounting for hundreds of people who may have stayed behind. MICHAEL SNYDER/AP

Pete Miller checks the remains of his house in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on in Mexico Beach, Fla. Rescue teams using sniffer dogs carried out a grim search for victims of Hurricane Michael on Friday amid fears that the death toll from the monster storm, which currently stands at 11, could rise. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Jay Faulk, 56, surveys the damage to his home, Friday, in Mexico Beach, Fla. Residents of the small beach town of Mexico Beach began to make their way back to their homes some for the first time after Hurricane Michael made landfall Wednesday. Chris Urso/AP

Leroy Retherford makes his way down his driveway in Panama City, Fla., on Friday, after family members helped to clear debris left by Hurricane Michael. "By the time they said it was going to come in as a Category 4, it was too late to leave," Retherford said. PATRICK DOVE/USA TODAY NETWORK

Agueda Sanchez looks at what's left of her 13-year-old bakery after Hurricane Matthew tore the roof off in Mexico Beach, Fla. She called it her 'money maker' but doesn't think she'll rebuild. Brandon Girod/USA Today Network

Michael Williams, 70, looks for help from passing motorists for food and water as downed trees prevent him from driving out of his damaged home in the aftermath of hurricane Michael with his family in Springfield, Fla., Oct. 11, 2018. "I don't know what I'm going to do," said Williams. David Goldman, AP

In this image released by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a CBP flight crew conducts a flyover of the Florida panhandle in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael as the storm left a swath of destruction across the area near Panama City, Fla. GLENN FAWCETT, AFP/Getty Images

Cynthia Murphy and her husband James, not pictured, rode out Hurricane Michael in their Beacon Hill, Fla. home. Storm surge ran them into another home behind this one on Highway 98. Andrew West, News-Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Becky Daniel reacts to seeing her Beacon Hill home, behind her, on Oct. 11, 2018. It was destroyed in Hurricane Michael. The area is right next to Mexico City, which was ground zero for the hurricane. Andrew West, USA TODAY Network

Mishelle McPherson, climbs over the rubble of the home of her friend, Agnes Vicari, as she searches for her, since she knows she stayed behind in the home during Hurricane Michael, in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. Gerald Herbert, AP

In this image released by the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard crew members aboard an HC-130 Hercules airplane fly over damaged homes near Apalachicola, Fla., on Oct. 11, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. ASHLEY J. JOHNSON, AFP/Getty Images

Traffic is denied access to Interstate 10 West at exit 147 in Gadsden County, Fla. Oct. 11, 2018. Downed trees and power lines from Hurricane Michael are preventing non-essential travel to Panama City using 10 West. Portions of 10 West are closed for 80 miles.
KINFAY MOROTI, USA TODAY NETWORK

Shekinah Waddell, 2nd left, hugs her children prays with her children, Trinity, Christian and Caris Devore, at the Country Inn in Panama City, Fla., as the height of Hurricane Michael passes through, on Wednesday. Andrew West/USA TODAY NETWORK

Storm damage is seen after Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida coast on Wednesday, as the most powerful storm to hit the southern state in more than a century as officials warned it could wreak "unimaginable devastation." Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Mexico Beach, a town about 20 miles southeast of Panama City, around 1:00 pm. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP/Getty Images

Mitchell Pope tries to salvage what he can from his mobile home as Hurricane Michael pushes the storm surge up the Wakulla and Saint Marks Rivers which come together here, Wednesday, in Saint Marks, Fla. MARK WALLHEISER/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA

Pine trees litter a yard in Port St. Joe, Fla., on Garrison Avenue on Wednesday, after Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Hurricane Michael formed off the coast of Cuba carrying major Category 4 landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Surge in the Big Bend area, along with catastrophic winds at 155mph. Douglas R. Clifford/AP

Hurricane Michael formed off the coast of Cuba carrying major Category 4 landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Surge in the Big Bend area, along with catastrophic winds at 155mph. Port St. Joe Lodge number 111, at right, lay in ruins on Reid Avenue on Wednesday, in Port St. Joe, Fla., after the hurricane made landfall. Douglas R. Clifford/AP

Jayden Morgan, 11, evacuates his home as water starts to flood his neighborhood in St. Marks, Fla, ahead of Hurricane Michael. Gaining fury with every passing hour, Hurricane Michael closed in Wednesday on the Florida Panhandle with potentially catastrophic winds of 150 mph, the most powerful storm on record ever to menace the stretch of fishing towns, military bases and spring-break beaches. Brendan Farrington/AP

A woman makes her way to an evacuation shelter at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee on Oct. 10, 2018. KINFAY MOROTI/THE NEWS-PRESS via USA TODAY NETWORK

Earnest Sweet sits while his daughters Terri, 4, center, and Anna, 7, sleep at an evacuation shelter set up at Rutherford High School, in advance of Hurricane Matthew in Panama City Beach, Fla. Gerald Herbert, AP

Waves crash over the end of the Panama City Beach Pier as Hurricane Michael approaches on Oct. 10, 2018. The hurricane center says Hurricane Michael will be the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

Kathy Eaton takes what she can from her home as she tries to get out of the way of the storm as the outerbands of hurricane Michael arrive on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City Beach, Fla. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

A handout photo made available by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Oct. 9, 2018 shows a Geo-Color satellite image of hurricane Michael as it moves north-northwest over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. NOAA / HANDOUT, EPA-EFE

David Gage and Christal Gage and their dog, Bear, relax on the back of their pickup truck next to the ocean as they wait for the arrival of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 9, 2018, in Parker, Fla. JOE RAEDLE, Getty Images

Carol Cathey spray paints the words "Calm down Michael" on the plywood over her daughter's business in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 9, 2018, in Mexico Beach, Fla. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Krystal Day, of Homosassa, Fla., left, leads a sandbag assembly line at the Old Port Cove restaurant Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Ozello, Fla. Employees were hoping to protect the restaurant from floodwaters as Hurricane Michael continues to churn in the Gulf of Mexico heading for the Florida panhandle. Chris O'Meara, AP

Linda Collins (on ladder) is assisted by friends as she places plywood over the windows of her home in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 9, 2018 in Port St. Joe, Fla. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Xavier McKenzie puts a twenty pound bag of ice into his family's car in Panama City, Fla., as Hurricane Michael approaches on Tuesday, Oct.9, 2018. He and his family do not live in a storm surge area, and instead prepared for losing power for days. Joshua Boucher, News Herald, via AP

Janes Frost, right, the owner of the Apachicola Ice Company bar watches as his fiance, Erin Sue Rodgers, left hugs her mother, Mary Lynn Rodgers, as they depart from getting the bar ready for the arrival of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 9, 2018, in Apalachicola, Fla. "This ain't our first rodeo" Frost said of the bar's storm surge preparation. Mark Wallheiser, Getty Images

Al Smith and Paul Potts put plywood over the windows of a building as they prepare it for the arrival of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 9, 2018 in Port St. Joe, Fla. The hurricane is forecast to hit the Florida Panhandle at a possible category 3 storm. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Teams from Jacksonville Fire and Rescue stock ambulances at the Tactical Support facility in Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, before the contingent of 4 ambulances, a medical support bus and unit chief with 10 firefighters deployed to the Florida panhandle to aid with hurricane relief. According to Chief Jake Blanton, they were heading to Port St. Joe to help with the evacuation of nursing home residents ahead of the landfall of Hurricane Michael. Bob Self, The Florida Times-Union, via AP

The region was in search-and-rescue mode as thousands of first responders and National Guard members fanned out to help. A helicopter crew pulled nine people from a bathroom of a home here after the roof collapsed, the Coast Guard said. The rescue was among dozens by the agency, which conducted a search for survivors.

"One hundred percent of our focus is on rescue and recovery from this devastating storm," Scott said.

In Panama City, the Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart had roof, structural and water damage. Michael left substantial broken glass, caused cooling and plumbing issues and knocked out information systems.

“Even with these challenges, we are committed to continuing to provide emergency medical care for those in need through the emergency room on our main campus,” hospital CEO Scott Campbell said.

By late afternoon Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said Michael was centered about 20 miles north-northwest of Raleigh, North Carolina. Its strength had eased since its angry landfall, but Michael was still blasting sustained winds of 50 mph as it swept northeast at 24 mph.

Authorities confirmed seven deaths, and the number was likely to rise. Five people died in Florida, including four in Gadsden County. An 11-year-old in Seminole County, Georgia, was reported dead early Thursday morning after a tree fell on a home during the storm. A man died in a storm-related traffic accident in North Carolina on Thursday.

Parts of North Carolina, still recovering from the relentless rains of Hurricane Florence in September, were hit with up to 9 inches of rain from Michael, the Weather Prediction Center said.

“For North Carolina, Michael isn’t as bad as Florence, but it adds unwelcome insult to injury,” Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said. "So we must be on alert."

In this seaside town, the curfew was in effect Wednesday night and Thursday morning to prevent looting, although Jane Lindsey, 72, took no chances.

Lindsey and her husband spent the night in lawn chairs guarding their store, the Elegant Endeavors Antique Emporium on Harrison Avenue. The wind tore off the roof, poured water into all three floors and blew out the front windows.

"We've never seen this kind of devastation," Lindsey said, her feet crunching the broken shards that were her plate-glass windows. "It's such a loss for all these families, for all these small businesses."

Lindsay was so worried about her store that she and her husband abandoned their nearby home to the storm: "We don't even know if we have a house left. We can't leave here."

Police officers spent the night patrolling the area and responding to calls for assistance, making do with damaged patrol cars. The air smells like a sawmill, a legacy of the thousands of shredded trees.

Federal officials are prepared with tarps for thousands of roof-damaged homes across the region, and government survey ships checked coastlines for additional damage. Thousands of contractors are set to replace utility poles and string new electric lines, but the damage to businesses will take far longer to fix.

Panama City and Panama City Beach are heavily dependent on tourism. About 17 million visitors annually sun themselves on the 27 miles of soft sand beaches. Officials are optimistic they can be up and running again soon.

The beaches at least were largely unaffected by the storm, which hit the east side of Panama City hardest. Panama City Beach, a separate town, is west of there.

Panama City Beach is particularly popular with residents of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, Missouri and Illinois because it's a relatively easy drive for most Southerners and has the closest beaches to the Midwest. The city has had a record-breaking tourism year. Visits were up 10.2 percent before the storm hit.

Officials promised they'll be back open for business as fast as possible, so tourists can enjoy Thanksgiving's "Beach Home for the Holidays" and a 10,000-beachball drop for New Year's Eve.

"Panama City Beach is so resilient, and the whole community will be working together to get things back up and running," said Jayna Leach, a spokeswoman for Visit Panama City Beach. "With all of us working together, we'll be back up and running and be back to the world-class destination that we always have been."

Lindsey isn't so sure. After years of struggling to keep the store afloat, she doesn't know whether it can survive the flooding, wind damage and potential loss of precious antiques inside.

"Will it ever recover? Who knows? We'd like to think it would come back. We've had other setbacks, normal things that small towns go through. But how long will this take? Two years, three years, to get back on our feet?" Lindsey said. "We're thinking, is this the time to give it up, to retire?"

President Donald Trump kicked off his rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, by telling everyone in the path of Hurricane Michael that the nation's thoughts and prayers are with them. He says here will be no effort spared to help Florida recover. (Oct. 10)
AP